Fabric article treating apparatus



Dec. 4, 1956' s. P, PARKER 2,772,657

FABRIC'ARTICLE TREATING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 22, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 4, 1956 s. P. PARKER FABRIC ARTICLE TREATING APPARATUS INVENTOR.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 22. 1953 United States Patent "ice 2,772,657 FABRIC ARTICLE TREATING APPARATUS Application September 22, 1953, Serial No. 381,585 r 6 Claims. (Cl. 118-415) This invention relates to apparatus for treating fabrics with a liquid and is concerned more particularly with a novel apparatus, by which a desired amount of a treating liquid may be rapidly applied by spraying to fabric articles in a continuous succession and a large propor-. tion of the liquid sprayed but not picked up by the articles may be recovered. The new apparatus may be employed in the application of liquids of various types tofabrics and, in a typical use of the apparatus, dust cloths may be impregnated with oil, so that dust will adhere thereto. All of the advantages of the apparatus are realized when it is used for applying oil to dust cloths and a form of the apparatus suitable for that purpose will, accordingly, be illustrated and described in detail.

At the present time, occupants of space having large areas of floor covered by hard surfaced coverings, such 1 as linoleum, tiles, etc., keep the floors clean by wiping them by means of a tool, which includes ahandle and a head. The head is flat and of large area and,- in the use of the tool, a dust cloth is wrapped about the head and the head, with the cloth in place, is moved over the floor to pick up the dust. The cloths, which must be cleaned regularly, are supplied by laundry services and, as the cloths are usually impregnatedwith oil, it is necessary that they be treated with oil after they have been washed and dried.

The present invention is directed to the provision of a novel apparatus for treating fabrics with a liquid, which may be used in impregnating with oil new or laundered dust cloths referred to above. The apparatus includes a chamber, which is open at the bottom and contains spray nozzles, and the chamber lies above a conveyor in the form of an endless belt having horizontal upper and lower stretches. The lower stretch of the conveyor belt lies within a pan and the upper stretch is supported on tracks above the pan. A baflle extends beneath the part of the upper stretch of the conveyor within the spraying chamber and means, including an exhaust fan, are provided for applying suction to the chamber at its ends. In the travel of articles on the conveyor through the chamber, the impregnating oil is atomized by the nor. zles and directed upon the articles, while the excess spray is then drawn off by the fan. On its Way to the fan, the spray is condensed by being passed through a group of bafiies, upon which the droplets of oil are deposited. The bafiies lie above a vessel, in which the oil running down the battles is collected for further use.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be made to the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is an end view, partly in section and partlyin elevation, of the delivery end of a machine constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side view, partly in section and partly in elevation, of the apparatus in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 33 in Fig. l; Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 44 in .Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of an exhaust duct leading from the spraying chamber of the apparatus, and

Patented Dec. 4, 1956 Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line 6-6 in Fig. 2.

The apparatus shown in the drawings has a framework made up of a pair of spaced horizontal channel members 10 extending longitudinally and supported by vertical pairs 11, 12 of angle irons connected by horizontal frame members 13, 14. A pan 15 closes the space between the channel members 10 and its side walls 16 are provided with top flanges secured to the botttom flanges of the channel members 10. The pan has a bottom 17 sloping downwardly toward its middle and the bottom is provided with a transverse slot 19 about midway between the sides of the pan and nearer one end than the other. 1 The pan is provided with a pair of openings lying in alignment along opposite sides of the pan and a duct 20 mounted inside the pan leads upwardly from each opening. Each duct is secured to the bottom and side walls of the pan and terminates close to the top of the adjacent channel member 10.

A pair of inverted channel members 21 connect the channel members 10 near opposite ends thereof and an angle iron 22 is mounted on each channel member 21 with one flange extending vertically. A pair of angle irons 23 extend longitudinally between the angle irons 22' and lie close to the sides of the pan. Each angle iron 23' has one flange lying horizontal and serving as a rail for rollers onthe chains of a conveyor belt generally designated 24.

The belt is made up of a plurality of chains connecte by transverse slats 25 and the chains are trained about sprocket wheels 26 mounted on shafts 27 supported in bearings 28 secured to the inner faces of the channel members 10 near opposite ends thereof. One of the shafts 27 extends through an opening in one of the channel members 10 and carries a sprocket wheel 29 connected by a drive chain 30 to a sprocket wheel on the output shaft 31 of a speed reducer 32 driven by a motor 33 supported on a platform on the framework of the apparatus. The chain 30 is enclosed within a casing 34. The sprocket wheels 26 are of such diameter and so mounted that the upper stretch of the conveyor belt projects slightly above the top of the channel members 10, while the lower stretch of the belt lies within the pan structure made up of pan 1.5 and the longitudinal members 10, which add to the height of the sides of the pan.

A chamber or hood generally designated 35 is mounted on the channel members 10 to extend across the top of the conveyor belt. The chamber is made of end walls 36 and a top 37, and it is provided with removable side walls 38, which extend across and lie above the conveyor belt. The top of the chamber is provided with an opening, above which is mounted a sub-chamber 39 containing a line 40 for the treating fluid and a second line 41 for air under pressure. The lines extend from end to end of the sub-chamber and are connected through branch connections to a plurality of spray nozzles 42 directed downwardly. Outside the sub-chamber, the lines are provided with control cocks 43 and are connected by hoses 44, 45 to sources of the treating fluid and compressed air, respectively. The treating fluidline is provided with a strainer 46 in front of its cock 43. The spray nozzles and connections are of conventional construction and the nozzles operate to discharge a spray of the treating fluid downwardly into chamber 35 through the opening in the top wall of the chamber.

The ducts 20 have a width in the direction of movement of the conveyor, which is approximately equal to the corresponding. dimension of the chamber 35 and a baffle plate 47 closes the space between each duct and the adjacent angle iron 23. Another baffle plate 48,

which is at least as wide as baffles 47, is connected to the angle irons 23 and lies beneath that part of the upper stretch of the conveyor belt, which is within chamber 35. Bafl le plates 47 and 48 provide a baflle lying close to the under side of the upper stretch of the conveyor and extending from one duct 20 to the other. At each end of each side of the chamber 35, there is a closure plate 49, which closes the space between the removable side wall 38 and the top of baffle plate 47 and between the side of the conveyor belt and the end wall 36 of the chamber. Each closure plate 49 has an extension projecting beneath the adjacent side of the conveyor belt.

A condensing chamber 50 is supported on the framework of the machine and lies beneath the pan for the full width thereof below the chamber 35. The top of chamber 50 is closed by the bottom of pan 15 and the slot 19 and the ducts lead into chamber 50. The chamber has a sloping wall 50a leading from one side of the pan downwardly toward the opposite side and has a valved outlet 51 from its bottom. The outer vertical transverse wall 52 of chamber 50 has an opening closed by a removable clean-out door 53 and the opposed vertical wall 54 has an opening leading to an exhaust chamber 55. A condenser 56 is mounted on wall 54 of chamber 50 in front of the opening through that wall and the condenser comprises upper and lower plates 57 connected by a multiplicity of baifles 58 of flat V-section. The battles are disposed close together so as to provide a tortuous passage for vapor traveling therethrough. The bottom wall 57 of the condenser is provided with a batfle 59 which prevents condensate flowing down the baffles from entering the exhaust chamber 55.

The inner longitudinal wall 60 of the exhaust chamber has an opening and the casing 61 of a fan 62 of conventional construction is mounted on wall 60 to surround the opening. The fan is driven by a motor 63 mounted on the framework of the machine and the motors 33 and 63 are controlled by a switch 64, which starts and stops the motors simultaneously.

A brush 65 extending transversely of the conveyor belt for the full width thereof is mounted adjustably on brackets attached to the transverse angle member 21 nearer chamber and serves to remove excess cleaning fluid from the belt. A wiper in the form of a flexible rubber strip 66 carried by a. holder 67 is supported near the end of the pan remote from brush 65. The holder is pivotally mounted in brackets attached to the pan and is acted upon by a spring, which urges the wiper strip against the outer surfaces of the slats on the belt to remove treating fluid therefrom.

in the operation of the machine, the articles to be treated are placed one after another upon the top of the conveyor apron and carried thereby through chamber 35, where they receive a spray from the nozzles 42. 7

During operation, the exhaust fan 62 is running and the spray is drawn through the chamber 35 across the full width of the belt and then downwardly through the ducts 2t) and into the condensing chamber 50. As the spray passes through the condenser, the droplets of treating liquid strike the vertical baflies 58 and run down the baffles to collect in the bottom to form a pool of liquid which can be withdrawn through an outlet 51 and used a second time. As each article is carried beyond the chamber, it

is either removed from the conveyor belt by the attendant The recovery a and condenser reduced the loss of oil to about 5% of the total oil used.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for treating articles with a liquid, which comprises an endless conveyor belt with an upper horizontal stretch, a hood above the belt having an open lower end lying close to the upper stretch of the belt, means for discharging a spray of the liquid downward through the hood toward the belt, a pan structure including a pan below the belt having bottom openings at opposite sides of the belt beneath the hood, ducts within the pan structure leading upwardly from the respective bottom openings to about the level of the upper stretch of the belt, a chamber below the pan structure and closed at the top by the bottom of the pan structure, the ducts being open at their lower ends to the chamber, and the chamber having an outlet opening, a condenser in front of the opening, an exhaust chamber connected through the outlet opening to the first chamber, and a fan for exhausting the exhaust chamber.

2. An apparatus for treating articles with a liquid, which comprises an endless conveyor belt with an upper horizontal stretch, a hood above the belt having an open lower end lying close to the upper stretch of the belt, means for discharging a spray of the liquid downward through the hood toward the belt, a pan structure including a pan below the belt having bottom openings at opposite sides of the belt beneath the hood, ducts within the pan structureleading upwardly from the respective bottom openings to about the level of the upper stretch of the belt. a pair of connected chambers below the pan structure and closed at their tops by the bottom of that structure, the ducts being open at their lower ends to one of the chambers, a fan for exhausting the second chamber, and a condenser in the path of flow from the first chamber to the second, the condenser having a plurality of baflles defining tortuous passages through the condenser.

3. An apparatus for treating articles with a liquid, which comprises an endless conveyor belt with an upper horizontal stretch, a hood above the belt having an open lower end lying close to the upper stretch of the belt, a plurality of spray nozzles for discharging a spray of the liquid downward through the hood toward the belt, a pan structure including a pan below the belt, a pair of ducts at opposite sides of the pan structure below the hood having open upper ends at opposite sides of the belt and lower ends connected to openings through the bottom of the pan structure, a baflie below the upper stretch of the belt between the ducts, a fan, and means connecting the intake of the fan to the lower ends of the ducts, said means including a chamber in communication with the ducts and containing a condenser, and a second chamber connected to the first chamber through the condenser.

4. An apparatus for treating articles with a liquid, which comprises an endless conveyor belt with an upper horizontal stretch, a hood above the belt having an open lower end lying close to the upper stretch of the belt, a plurality of spray nozzles for discharging a spray of the liquid downward through the hood toward the belt, a pan structure including a pan below the belt, a pair of ducts at opposite sides of the pan structure below the hood having open upper ends at opposite sides of the belt and lower ends connected to openings through the bottom of the pan structure, a baflie below the upper stretch of the belt between the ducts, a chamber below the pan structure and in communication with the ducts, a condenser in the chamber having a plurality of baffles defining tortuous passages, an exhaust chamber in communication through the condenser with the first chamber and having an outlet opening, and a fan mounted on the wall of the exhaust chamber at the outlet opening thereof and operative to apply suction to the ducts through the chambers and condenser.

5. An apparatus for treating articles with a liquid, which comprises an endless conveyor belt with an upper horizontal stretch, a hood above the belt having an open lower end lying close to the upper stretch of the belt, a plurality of spray nozzles for discharging a spray of the liquid downward through the hood toward the belt, a pan structure including a pan below the belt, a pair of ducts at opposite sides of the pan structure below the hood having open upper ends at opposite sides of the belt and lower ends connected to openings through the bottom of the pan structure, a bafile below the upper stretch of the belt between the ducts, a chamber below the pan structure and in communication with the ducts, a condenser in the chamber having a plurality of baflles defining tortuous passages, an exhaust chamber in communication through the condenser with the first chamber and having an outlet opening, a fan having its intake connected to the outlet opening of the exhaust chamber and operative to apply suction to the ducts through the chambers and the condenser, a motor for driving the fan, a second motor for operating the conveyor belt, and common control means for the motors.

6. An apparatus for treating articles with a liquid, which comprises a framework including spaced longitudinal members at the top thereof, a pan attached to the members and closing the space between them, the pan having a pair of bottom openings at opposite sides and in transverse alignment, a hood mounted on the members to span the space between them above the bottom openings, a vertical duct connected to each bottom opening and terminating close to the lower end of the hood, a conveyor belt mounted between the members with an upper horizontal stretch close to the lower end of the hood and its lower stretch within the pan, means for directing a spray of the liquid downwardly through the hood toward the belt, a chamber open to the lower ends of the ducts and containing a condenser, a second chamber connected to the first through the condenser, and a fan connected to the second chamber and operative to apply suction through the chambers, condenser, and ducts to the interior of the hood at opposite sides of the belt.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,404,592 Friehofer et al J an. 24, 1922 1,979,758 Merritt Nov. 6, 1934 2,041,001 Knowlton May 19, 1936 2,369,737 Jackson et al. Feb. 20, 1945 2,400,315 Paasche May 14, 1946 2,470,111 Rubissow May 17, 1949 2,633,820 Koerber Apr. 7, 1953 

